Charge-forming device



April 14, 193ic. SHAVER 1,800,478

CHARGE FORMING DEVICE Filed Jan. 28, 1929 Ff ST -4 NVENTOR. Blatem: E W. Shaver:

ATTORNEYS.

Patented A pr(14, 1931 'oLAnENcE w. SHAVER, or BAYMOBE, sAsx 'rcnEwAN, cANAnA cn neE-rommme ninvrcr '1 A maaon filed January as, 1929. Serial 110. 835,714.

The present invention relates to improvements in charge forming devices for use in connection with internal combustion engines,

and the primary object of the invention is to provide a charge forming device wherein water vapor is admitted-to the carburetor and mixed with the explosive charge enter ing the cylinders of the engine.

A further object of theinvention is to provide an attachment for internal combustion engines for reducing fuel consumption by utilizing exhaust gases from the engine and admixing the same with a vapor which is passed thru the carburetor for mixing with the fresh explosive charge generated therein.

A further object of the invention is to providea charge forming device for internal combustion engines including an automatically operable vapor generator for automatically controlling the amount of va por supplied to the cylinders of the eng ne at vary-- 1 ing speeds of the engine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a charge forming device of this character wherein the electrically operated vapor generator is connected directly with the cooling medium of the-engine so that the engine acts as a preheater for the water entering the generator and thus permits of the generator being operated with very little electrical energy.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following'detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying draw-- ing forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional type of internal combustion engine such as used upon motor driven vehicles and showingthe improved charge forming device or apparatus applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of thedevice and apparatus and showing the collector manifold of the apparatus in section.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 33 oi,Figure 2 thru. the electrically operated generator.

Figure 4 is astill further enlarged section thru the electric pressure gauge of the generator. I

Figure5 is a top elevation of the pressure I gauge for. automatically maintaining an even pressure inthe generator.

In the drawing, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates a conventional type of internal combustion engine to which the improved charge forming device {has been shown attached, said device including a generator B for supplying steam to a mixing cylinder or chamber C, and D a cleaner for the mixture from the cylinder C.

The internal combustion engine A is of conventional construction and includes the usual carburetor 5, which is connected with the intake manifold 6 for supplying explosive charges generated in the carburetor 5 to the-cylinders of the engine. The engine "is also provided with the usual exhaust 10 is preferably closed at its lower end by a removable closure plug 11 for allowing ready cleaning of the tank, and opening through one side of the tank adjacent its lower end is an inlet port 12 to which is connected one end of the water supply pipe or conduit 13 having its opposite end connected to and opening into the engine'water jacket 8 as at 14. whereby the water in the cooling system for the engine may enter the generator tank 10. Formed inwardly of the tank .10 at the inlet port 12 is a suitable partition 15 forming a float chamber for enclosing a float valve 15 which operates to open and close the inlet port 12 and maintain a level height of the water in the tank 10.

- sure in the the water ed for rotation with Formed at the 10 is a steam outlet port 17 provided with a regulating valve 18 for controlling the amount of steam escaping through the/port 17. Connected at one end with the outlet 17 is a steam conductor pipe 19 having its opposite end opening into the mixing chamber or cylinder C whereby steam generated in the tank 10 is conveyed to the mixing chamber.

The generator B further includes a pressure operated gauge 20 for automatically controlling electricall the heating of the water in the tank 10. This automatic heat control means or pressure operated gauge means 20 includes a casing 21 preferably provided at its front open side with a transparent dial plate 22 which may be graduated as shown in Figure 5. Depending from the lower side of the preferably cylindrical casing 21 is a tubular stem portion 23 which is connected to and opens into the upper end of the tank '10, and this tubular stem 23' as will be observed in Figure 3 forms a cylinder so to speak'opening into the steam chamber formed above the Water in the tank 10. Suitably journaled in't-he casing 21 is a shaft 24 which rigidly carries a segmental gear 25 adapted for rotation above the cylinder forming stem 23. The shaft 24 may also carry a pointer 26 for co-act-in with the graduations provided on the dia? 22 so that a person may readily observe the prestank 10. Mounted within the cylinder forming stem 23 is a piston 27 which carries a rack frame 28 which projects up into the casing 21 for meshing with the segment 25 whereby upon movement ofthe piston 27 the shaft 24 will be rotated. The steam pressure in the upper portion ofthe tank 10 operates on the piston 27 and thus causes the device 20 at actas a pressure gauge.

The electrical heating means for the water in the tank 10 and which is automatically crmtrolle-d by the steam pressure in the tank,

embodies a plurality of independent heating elements 30 supported in the tank 10 below insulated from the metallic tank 10 and with the opposite ends of the independent heating elements grounded to the metallic tank and in the example shown to the partition 15. Insulatively mounted in the circumference of the casing 21 is a plurality of independent suitch points or segments 32 with each independent segment separately connected by the conductors 33 one to each of the heating element terminals 31. Mountthe shaft 24 is a segmental shaped insulating disc 34; which serves as a mounting for a fan contact member including a hollow hub portion 35 and a series of radially extending contact fingers upper end of i the tank level with one end of each heating element connected to a separate terminal 31 o t Into cal contact with the shaft 24. As the fan contact member is rotated thru up and down movement of the piston 27 by variation of steam pressure in the tank 10, the contact fifiigers 36 will contact with more or less of t e circuit thrua corresponding number of the heating elements 30 with which the independent segments are in circuit. A contact roller 37 is insulatively mounted in the casing 21 for rolling and this contact roller is connected by a conductor 38 to a generator 39 having its opposite lead grounded to the engine AP In operation of the automatic heat control means for the generator, as the steam as pressure in the tank 10 is lowered the pis ton 27 is allowed to move downwardly in the cylinder stem 23 and cause the fan contact member to be rotated and contact with a greater number of the segments 32 so that an increased number of the independent heating elements 30 will be brought into operation for heating the Water in the tank 10. As theipressure increases the piston 27 is moved upwardly and rotates member in a direction for cutting-out the circuit to some of the heating elements 30. While the contact member has been shown as being of the fan type provided with a series of independent contactrfingers 36, the same may be of segmental shape and solid formation if so desired but it is preferred to form the contact member with a number of, the' contact fingers 36 for insuring contact with eachof the segments 32 as the contact fin- By so having ge'rs are moved thereover. the water supply for the generator connects ed by th'e'suppl pipe 13 directly with the engine water jac et 8 it will be-seen that the Water will be heated by trance into the generator md thus will re- 'quire very little electrical energy for generating steam in the tank 10. The mixing chamber .01

fold 7 at spaced points therealong for collecting some of the exhaust gases from the engine cylinders and directing into the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber-or cylinder C has connected to its lower rear portion a charge delivering pipe or conductor 45 which opens -into the air inlet nozzle ranged in the charge delivering pipe 45 is the cleaner D WhICll may be of any approved construction for removing particles'of carbon and other foreign matter from the charge before segments 32 for completing an electric 75 contact with the hub 35 30 the fan contact 95 the engine before e11- the gases 1 5 of thecarouretor 5. Ar-

delivery into the carburetor 1, soo,47s 3 5 for admixing with the fuel vaporized therein. The hot exhaust gases and water vapor or steam mixedin the chamber C 'will enter the carburetor 5 in a high degree of 5 temperature and thus materially aid in vaporizing the gasoline in the carburetor.

The device will work automatically for controlling the amount of vapor supplied to the engine cylinders at any speed 0 the engine, since when the engine is operating at a relatively hi h speed the amount of steam withdrawn EIOII]. the generator B will so lower the ressure in the tank 10 as to cause more 0 the heating elements 30 to be brought into operation and thus generate suflicient steam in accordance with the speed of the engine.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a novel and improved apparatus of this character has been provided wherein steam is mixed with the exhaust gases from the engine and passed in a heated condition thru the carburetor so that a material saving in fuel consumption is obtained. It will 2 also be apparent that a novel arrangement has been disclosed wherein the generator may be operated to automaticall control. the amount of vapor supplied to t e engine cylinders at any speed of the engine and with a material saving in the amount of electrical energy required for heating the water in the generator by having the generator connecte with the cooling system for the engine;

Changes in detail maybe made to the form of invention herein shown and described without departing from. the s irit of the invention or the scope of the fol ow ing claim.

40 I claim:

In a charge forming device, the combination with an internal combustion engine including a carburetor, of a steam generating tank, means for conveying steam from thetank to the carburetor, and electrically operated heat control means for the generating tank for automatically controlling the amount of steam supplied to the carburetor at varying speeds o the engine.

CLARENCE W. SHAVER. 

